The Kerala Government on Wednesday dismissed the stand of Chief Secretary Jiji Thomson, an accused in the palmolein graft case, that he had expressed dissent on the import of about 15,000 tonnes of palmolein from Malaysia in 1991-92 by the then Congress-led UDF government.

The Kerala Government on Wednesday dismissed the stand of Chief Secretary Jiji Thomson, an accused in the palmolein graft case, that he had expressed dissent on the import of about 15,000 tonnes of palmolein from Malaysia in 1991-92 by the then Congress-led UDF government.

CPI-M led LDF Opposition members in Kerala on Wednesday staged a walkout from the Assembly in protest against alleged attack on the media and house of an MLA by UDF workers even as Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala denied the incident.

Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on Tuesday said the outcome of June 27 Aruvikkara Assembly bypoll would be a referendum on the four-year rule of his government and also on the opposition LDF's performance.

Campaign has picked up for the politically crucial June 27 Assembly bypoll in Aruvikkara in Kerala, which is witnessing a three-cornered contest involving ruling Congress-led UDF, CPI-M headed LDF opposition and BJP.

In a remark on the decades old politically sensitive palmolein import case that could trigger a row, Kerala Chief Secretary Jiji Thomson on Tuesday said the cabinet decision of the then Congress-led UDF government in this regard was implemented without following proper procedure.

If there appeared to be "dark clouds" on the horizon on the eve of the four-year-old Oommen Chandy government in Kerala, better sense appeared to have prevailed as all differences of opinion within the Congress party and amongst allies have been settled.

On the eve of his government completing four years in office, Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said he was confident the people would again repose confidence in the United Democratic Front (UDF) administration when assembly elections are held next year.

Bowing to demands from Kerala Congress (M), a key partner in the front, Congress-led UDF on Tuesday decided to change the date of the proposed Central zone political campaign rally of the coalition to May 27.

Congress led-UDF government in Kerala on Wednesday strongly resented Centre's decision to impose total fishing ban in coastal belt for 61 days during monsoon and asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to relook the matter.

Kerala Excise Minister K Babu on Tuesday refuted bribery allegations levelled against him by Kerala Bar Hotel Owners' Association Working president Biju Ramesh and said it was part of a conspiracy to topple the Congress-led UDF government.

A day after Congress led ruling UDF asked Kerala Congress(B) leader R Balakrishna Pillai to rectify his "mistakes" to remain in the Front, the veteran leader on Thursday said he had not done anything wrong.

Within hours of cremation of Communist Marxist Party (CMP) founder leader MV Raghavan, rival factions formalised split in the party electing General Secretaries of their respective groups by meeting separately here.